"achieved an aardvark-like appearance and ecological niche through convergent evolution. The aardvark has seventeen poorly defined subspecies listed: The 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica also mentions ""O. a. capensis"" or Cape ant-bear from South Africa. The aardvark is vaguely pig-like in appearance. Its body is stout with a prominently arched back and is sparsely covered with coarse hairs. The limbs are of moderate length, with the rear legs being longer than the forelegs. The front feet have lost the pollex (or 'thumb'), resulting in four toes, while the rear feet have all five toes. Each toe bears a large, robust nail which"
"night using its long, sticky tongue. The aardwolf lives in the shrublands of eastern and southern Africa – open lands covered with stunted trees and shrubs. It is nocturnal, resting in burrows during the day and emerging at night to seek food. The aardwolf is generally classified with the hyena family Hyaenidae, though it was formerly placed in its own family Protelidae. Early on, scientists felt that it was merely mimicking the striped hyena, which subsequently led to the creation of Protelidae. Recent studies have suggested that the aardwolf probably broke away from the rest of the hyena family early"
"two pairs of teats in the inguinal region. Genetically speaking, the aardvark is a living fossil, as its chromosomes are highly conserved, reflecting much of the early eutherian arrangement before the divergence of the major modern taxa. Aardvarks are found in sub-Saharan Africa, where suitable habitat (savannas, grasslands, woodlands and bushland) and food (i.e., ants and termites) is available. They spend the daylight hours in dark underground burrows to avoid the heat of the day. The only major habitat that they are not present in is swamp forest, as the high water table precludes digging to a sufficient depth. They"
"Aardwolf The aardwolf (""Proteles cristata"") is a small, insectivorous mammal, native to East and Southern Africa. Its name means ""earth-wolf"" in Afrikaans and Dutch. It is also called ""maanhaar-jackal"" (Afrikaans for ""mane-jackal"") or ""civet hyena"", based on its habit of secreting substances from its anal gland, a characteristic shared with the African civet. The aardwolf is in the same family as the hyena. Unlike many of its relatives in the order Carnivora, the aardwolf does not hunt large animals. It eats insects and their larvae, mainly termites; one aardwolf can lap up as many as 250,000 termites during a single"
"the farmers have recognized this, but they are still killed, on occasion, for their fur. Dogs and insecticides are also common killers of the aardwolf. Aardwolfs are common sights at zoos. Frankfurt Zoo in Germany was home to the oldest recorded aardwolf in captivity at 18 years and 11 months. Aardwolf The aardwolf (""Proteles cristata"") is a small, insectivorous mammal, native to East and Southern Africa. Its name means ""earth-wolf"" in Afrikaans and Dutch. It is also called ""maanhaar-jackal"" (Afrikaans for ""mane-jackal"") or ""civet hyena"", based on its habit of secreting substances from its anal gland, a characteristic shared with"
"Night monkey The night monkeys, also known as the owl monkeys or douroucoulis, are the members of the genus Aotus of New World monkeys (monotypic in family Aotidae). The only nocturnal monkeys, they are native to Panama and much of tropical South America. Night monkeys constitute one of the few monkey species that are affected by the often deadly human malaria protozoan ""Plasmodium falciparum"", making them useful as non-human primate experimental subjects in malaria research. Until 1983, all night monkeys were placed into only one (""A. lemurimus"") or two species (""A. lemurinus"" and ""A. azarae""). Chromosome variability showed that there"
"Nighthawk A nighthawk is a nocturnal bird of the subfamily Chordeilinae, within the nightjar family, Caprimulgidae, native to the western hemisphere. The term ""nighthawk"", first recorded in the King James Version of 1611, was originally a local name in England for the European nightjar. Its use in the Americas refers to members of the genus ""Chordeiles"" and related genera was first recorded in 1778. Nighthawks are medium-sized birds with long wings, short legs, and very short bills. They usually nest on the ground. They feed on flying insects. The least nighthawk, at and , is the smallest of all Caprimulgiformes."
"have occurred in Iceland, the Faroe Islands, the Seychelles, the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands. The European nightjar is a bird of dry, open country with some trees and small bushes, such as heaths, commons, moorland, forest clearings or felled or newly planted woodland. When breeding, it avoids treeless or heavily wooded areas, cities, mountains, and farmland, but it often feeds over wetlands, cultivation or gardens. In winter it uses a wider range of open habitats including acacia steppe, sandy country and highlands. It has been recorded at altitudes of on the breeding grounds and in the wintering areas."
"on termites and ants. They rely on their sense of smell to find most of their food and hunt at night. A few anatomical characters unite the Orycteropodidae and Tubulidentata. This classification follows Lehmann 2009. Orycteropodidae Orycteropodidae is a family of afrotherian mammals. Although there are many fossil species, the only species surviving today is the aardvark, ""Orycteropus afer"". Orycteropodidae is recognized as the only family within the order Tubulidentata, so the two are effectively synonyms. Aardvarks had originally been categorized as relatives of American anteaters in the order Edentata. But their unique type of teeth and other morphological characteristics"
"Night shark The night shark (""Carcharhinus signatus"") is a species of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae, found in the temperate and tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean. An inhabitant of the outer continental shelf and upper continental slope, this shark most commonly occurs at depths of and conducts a diel vertical migration, spending the day in deeper water and moving into shallower waters at night. Off northeastern Brazil, large numbers congregate around seamounts of varying depth. A slender, streamlined species, the night shark typically reaches a length of . It can be identified by its long pointed snout and"
"Azara's night monkey Azara's night monkey (""Aotus azarae""), also known as the southern night monkey, is a night monkey species from South America. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Peru and Paraguay. The species is monogamous, with the males providing a large amount of parental care. It is named after Spanish naturalist Félix de Azara. Although primarily nocturnal, some populations of Azara's night monkey are unique among night monkeys in being active both day and night. The species is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. There are three subspecies of Azara's night monkey. Due to a"
"European nightjar The European nightjar (""Caprimulgus europaeus""), Eurasian nightjar or just nightjar, is a crepuscular and nocturnal bird in the nightjar family that breeds across most of Europe and temperate Asia. The Latin generic name refers to the old myth that the nocturnal nightjar suckled goats, causing them to cease to give milk. The six subspecies differ clinally, the birds becoming smaller and paler towards the east of the range. All populations are migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. Their densely patterned grey and brown plumage makes individuals difficult to see in the daytime when they rest on the ground or"
"of unbaptised children were doomed to wander in nightjar form until Judgement Day. European nightjar The European nightjar (""Caprimulgus europaeus""), Eurasian nightjar or just nightjar, is a crepuscular and nocturnal bird in the nightjar family that breeds across most of Europe and temperate Asia. The Latin generic name refers to the old myth that the nocturnal nightjar suckled goats, causing them to cease to give milk. The six subspecies differ clinally, the birds becoming smaller and paler towards the east of the range. All populations are migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. Their densely patterned grey and brown plumage makes individuals"
"the Atlantic via Iceland and Greenland, then south down the Eastern seaboard of America, across the Caribbean and Mexico, before ending up off the coast of Ecuador and Peru. For this reason, it is suspected that the Shetland population could be an offshoot of a North American population rather than the geographically closer Scandinavian population that is believed to winter in the Arabian Sea. Red-necked phalarope The red-necked phalarope (""Phalaropus lobatus"") is a small wader. This phalarope breeds in the Arctic regions of North America and Eurasia. It is migratory, and, unusually for a wader, winters at sea on tropical"
"Black, and Caspian seas. There are about 15,000 European freshwater known animal species. Arctic tundra is the northernmost (and coldest) of European habitats, in extreme northern Scandinavia, Svalbard archipelago, northernmost part of Russia. Some typical animals include reindeer, Arctic fox, brown bear, ermine, lemmings, partridges, snowy owl and many insects. Most tundra animals undergo hibernation during the colder season. Iceland is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean with very scarce land fauna. The only native land mammal when humans arrived was the Arctic fox. There are no native reptiles or amphibians on the island, but a rich marine fauna"
"Common toad The common toad, European toad, or in Anglophone parts of Europe, simply the toad (""Bufo bufo"", from Latin ""bufo"" ""toad""), is an amphibian found throughout most of Europe (with the exception of Ireland, Iceland, and some Mediterranean islands), in the western part of North Asia, and in a small portion of Northwest Africa. It is one of a group of closely related animals that are descended from a common ancestral line of toads and which form a species complex. The toad is an inconspicuous animal as it usually lies hidden during the day. It becomes active at dusk"
"night, and may enter a state of dormancy during the winter in order to survive temperatures that would otherwise be lethal. The native distribution of ""A. vulgare"" ranges across Europe, especially in the Mediterranean Basin. In the United Kingdom, ""A. vulgare"" is very common in southern and eastern England, but is more confined to coastal areas in the north. Similarly, in Ireland, ""A. vulgare"" is common in the south and east, but rarer in the north and west. ""A. vulgare"" has also been introduced to many locations in North America, where it may reach population densities of up to 10,000"
"Black woodpecker The black woodpecker (""Dryocopus martius"") is a large woodpecker that lives in mature forest across the northern palearctic. It is the sole representative of its genus in that region. Its range is expanding in Eurasia. It does not migrate. This species is closely related to and fills the same ecological niche in Europe as the pileated woodpecker of North America. The range of the black woodpecker spreads east from Spain across the whole of Europe, excluding Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern Scandinavia. It is also native to parts of Asia, including Korea, Japan and China, and to"
"night heron. Nachtkrapp The Nachtkrapp (German, lit. ""night raven"") is a South German and Austrian bugbear creature, cautionary tales about which are used to scare children into going to bed. Similar legends exist in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Russia. Several versions of the Nachtkrapp exist. In most legends, the Nachtkrapp is described as a giant, nocturnal raven-like bird. In Norse mythology, the, Nachtkrapp (Swedish ""Nattramnen"", Norwegian ""Nattravnen"") is depicted with no eyes which if looked into cause death. It is also depicted with holes in its wings which cause illness and disease if looked at. Some of the"
"the tubule-style teeth. The aardvark is not closely related to the pig; rather, it is the sole extant representative of the obscure mammalian order Tubulidentata, in which it is usually considered to form one variable species of the genus ""Orycteropus"", the sole surviving genus in the family Orycteropodidae. The aardvark is not closely related to the South American anteater, despite sharing some characteristics and a superficial resemblance. The similarities are based on convergent evolution. The closest living relatives of the aardvark are the elephant shrews, tenrecs and golden moles. Along with the sirenians, hyraxes, elephants, and their extinct relatives, these"
"Nachtkrapp The Nachtkrapp (German, lit. ""night raven"") is a South German and Austrian bugbear creature, cautionary tales about which are used to scare children into going to bed. Similar legends exist in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Russia. Several versions of the Nachtkrapp exist. In most legends, the Nachtkrapp is described as a giant, nocturnal raven-like bird. In Norse mythology, the, Nachtkrapp (Swedish ""Nattramnen"", Norwegian ""Nattravnen"") is depicted with no eyes which if looked into cause death. It is also depicted with holes in its wings which cause illness and disease if looked at. Some of the most common"
"Red-necked nightjar The red-necked nightjar (""Caprimulgus ruficollis"") is the largest of the nightjars occurring in Europe. It breeds in Iberia and north Africa, and winters in tropical west Africa. ""Caprimulgus"" is derived from the Latin ""capra"", ""nanny goat"", and ""mulgere"", ""to milk"", referring to an old myth that nightjars suck milk from goats. The specific ""ruficollis"" is from Latin ""rufus"", ""red"", and ""collum"", ""neck"". The common name ""nightjar"", first recorded in 1630, refers to the nocturnal habits of the bird, the second part of the name deriving from the distinctive churring song. There are two subspecies: nominate ""ruficollis"", breeding in"
"Woodlark The woodlark or wood lark (""Lullula arborea"") is the only extant species in the lark genus ""Lullula"". It is found across most of Europe, the Middle East, western Asia and the mountains of north Africa. It is mainly resident (non-migratory) in the west of its range, but eastern populations of this passerine bird are more migratory, moving further south in winter. There are two subspecies of woodlark, ""L. a. arborea"" and ""L. a. pallida"". The former is native to northern regions of Europe, while the latter can be found in the south of the woodlark's range. Their diet is"
"native to Central and Eastern Africa. Its range includes Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. It occurs at altitudes between about . Like other nightjars, it is nocturnal, feeding on moths and other large insects. It is mostly a forest bird, but is also found in plantations, cultivated areas near forests, and in well-wooded urban areas. The montane nightjar is a common species with a very wide range. No special threats have been identified and the population trend is thought to be stable. For these reasons, the International Union"
"nights over the other. During adverse weather or if disturbed they will retreat to their burrow systems. They cover between per night; however, some studies have shown that they may traverse as far as in a night. The aardvark is a rather quiet animal. However, it does make soft grunting sounds as it forages and loud grunts as it makes for its tunnel entrance. It makes a bleating sound if frightened. When it is threatened it will make for one of its burrows. If one is not close it will dig a new one rapidly. This new one will be"
"the family means these are poorly understood. Species that live in the far north, such as the European nightjar or the common nighthawk, will move south with the onset of winter. Geolocators placed on European nightjars in southern England found they wintered in the south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Other species make shorter migrations. Some species of nightjar are threatened with extinction. It has been suggested that road-kills of this species by cars is a major cause of mortality for many members of the family. This is because of their habit of resting and roosting on roads."
"in heavily grazed grasslands and savannahs, including farmland. For most of the year, aardwolves spend time in shared territories consisting of up to a dozen dens, which are occupied for six weeks at a time. There are two distinct populations: one in Southern Africa, and another in East and Northeast Africa. The species does not occur in the intermediary miombo forests. An adult pair, along with their most-recent offspring, occupies a territory of . Aardwolves are shy and nocturnal, sleeping in underground burrows by day. They will, on occasion during the winter, become diurnal feeders. This happens during the coldest"
"as one of the most moving signs of spring. Common toad The common toad, European toad, or in Anglophone parts of Europe, simply the toad (""Bufo bufo"", from Latin ""bufo"" ""toad""), is an amphibian found throughout most of Europe (with the exception of Ireland, Iceland, and some Mediterranean islands), in the western part of North Asia, and in a small portion of Northwest Africa. It is one of a group of closely related animals that are descended from a common ancestral line of toads and which form a species complex. The toad is an inconspicuous animal as it usually lies"
"is an ecosystem engineer, opening up dense thicket and woodland for more open-habitat species. The aardvark is an odd-looking creature. It is a prodigious digger and sleeps in burrows during the day. It feeds mainly on termites and ants. There are two species of ""dassies"" or hyraxes, the rock hyrax and the tree hyrax, the former widespread over the country and the latter occurring in the eastern part of the country. They are relatives of the elephants, although not the closest (sirenians are more closely related). Their major predators are the Verreaux's eagle and the caracal. Elephant shrews resemble shrews"
"Nightjar Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal or crepuscular birds in the subfamily Caprimulginae and in the family Caprimulgidae, characterised by long wings, short legs and very short bills. They are sometimes called goatsuckers, due to the ancient folk tale that they sucked the milk from goats (the Latin for goatsucker is ""Caprimulgus""), or bugeaters, due to their insectivore diet. Some New World species are called nighthawks. The English word 'nightjar' originally referred to the European nightjar. Nightjars are found around the world except in New Zealand and some islands of Oceania. They are mostly active in the late evening and in"
"Reindeer The reindeer (""Rangifer tarandus""), also known as the caribou in North America, is a species of deer with circumpolar distribution, native to Arctic, sub-Arctic, tundra, boreal, and mountainous regions of northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. This includes both sedentary and migratory populations. ""Rangifer"" herd size varies greatly in different geographic regions. The Taimyr herd of migrating Siberian tundra reindeer (""R. t. sibiricus"") in Russia is the largest wild reindeer herd in the world, varying between 400,000 and 1,000,000. What was once the second largest herd is the migratory boreal woodland caribou (""R. t. caribou"") George River herd in"
"slug, the mantle contains a resilient protective structure of calcareous granules. ""Arion Ater"" produces three forms of mucus. Thin, more viscous mucus coats the animal laterally, and thicker mucus is secreted along the length of the slug—facilitating wave like contractions of the foot that propel the animal forward. Finally, vile-tasting mucus deters predation. All this mucus prevents the slug from dying from dehydration, and the slugs follow others’ mucus trails in order to mate (or predate). This species is found in northern Europe (including Britain), Canada, the Pacific Northwest, and most recently in Australia: The black slug is mainly nocturnal"
"near their burrows, which then grow rapidly due to the loose soil and fertile nature of the area. The time spent in the intestine of the aardvark helps the fertility of the seed, and the fruit provides needed moisture for the aardvark. They avoid eating the African driver ant and red ants. Due to their stringent diet requirements, they require a large range to survive. An aardvark emerges from its burrow in the late afternoon or shortly after sunset, and forages over a considerable home range encompassing . While foraging for food, the aardvark will keep its nose to the"